Hartman: Regulating cars and guns

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I always enjoy reading the numbers given for gun deaths, or even injury, in the U.S. by the anti-gun folks. Where do you find those numbers? Certainly not from the FBI Crime Statistics for the U.S. The claim that cars are well-regulated is true up to a point. When an inebriated person gets in a car, no safety feature is going to protect them from their personal choices. In a country of 314 million people, there are some who should not be allowed access to firearms. Denying my rights because there are some irresponsible families, officials, care-givers, or policies guiding the rights of persons with mental instabilities is fair to whom? Let's start using existing law to punish those who use firearms illegally. The shooters in almost all gun deaths are mentally impaired, very few are acting to support an agenda or philosophy. Where are the family members who should have seen irresponsible behavior, just like your two who wanted to blow up their school in Littleton. What can a school counselor do to intervene? Under our laws, we cannot punish before an act. The recent event in Aurora speaks to this issue. Many people saw aberrant behavior, but didn't act. So where does the responsibility for gun safety lie? With those of us who are lawful gun owners and shooters, or with the scofflaws who commit crimes and the social misfit who should not have access to firearms? Personally I would like to see the Thompson back on the market with its full auto capability. The rules are rigorous now. Go try to buy a firearm. If you lie about it, you have committed a federal offense. But will your local Federal ATF officer come lock you up? The system is too big and most of us want to enjoy our rights as Americans. We are quick to forgive and quick to trust.